Monday, September 8, 2008

Have you looked at the price of buying a new bed? Golly gosh, I had no idea these things cost so much! Luckily for you I researched a bit and found some creative ways to make a bed for less. Without further ado, here are some instructions on making a frame from myfamilylovesit.com

To determine the dimensions add about 1 inch to the height and width of the mattress. Then subtract 12 inches from each dimension to give the inset to protect toes.

For example a standard King size mattress is 80 x 76. The bottom frame would be 69 x 65. There is a lot of room for adjustment ther since you never see this layer. The important thing is that your frame is level.All lumber was screwed together using some old 2 1/2″ deck screws. Drill pilot holes to prevent splitting and used a little wood glue to create a strong bond.

Step 2:

Use scrap pieces of 2×10 to create blocking:

Make sure to offset them like in the picture; so you are able to screw in from both sides. No exact science here, just make sure they fit tightly in the spaces

Step 3:

Now you're ready for the top layer of the platform. Using the 2×4s. follow the same strategy, but this layer will be slightly larger than the mattress.

Step 4:

Next place the top layer on top of the bottom and center it. Toenail the top layer into the bottom at all intersections with the deck screws (remember to drill those pilot holes first).

Step 5:

The last step was attaching the mdf to the top. You may want to have these pre-cut at a place like Lowes. Their sheet cutter is more accurate and can save time. Attach these with 2 inch deck screws about every 12-16 inches.